FORMER STAR ENJOYING HER SUCCESS IN SENIOR TENNIS

Senior tennis

Jennifer Dawson won a San Diego Section singles tennis title at Poway High. She played No. 1 singles and doubles at USD. She toured professionally for a year. As an adult amateur, the sport paid her way to Turkey and Australia.

But now, at 45, the Carlsbad resident says she enjoys the game more than ever.

“As an adult,” said Dawson, who lives in Carlsbad, “you play for fun. You give 100 percent on the court, but once it’s done, it’s over. You’re not going to dwell on it. It’s not your identity. It’s doesn’t determine whether you’re a good person or not. It’s just a sport.”

Perspective aside, Dawson still packs plenty of game, as evidenced by her women’s 40s national hard court championship last December at the La Jolla Beach and Tennis Club. On Monday, she’ll begin play in the International Tennis Federation Seniors World Championships, which will unfold at seven local sites.

The tournament, broken into five-year increments, is for men and women 35-55. It’s divided into two phases — a team competition, similar to the Davis Cup, followed by a singles tournament.

Living in Los Angeles at the time, Dawson took up the game at 7. Her family resided near Hancock Park, next door to a movie producer whose backyard included a tennis court.

The neighbors were up in age and didn’t play tennis much anymore.

“Why don’t you guys use the court,” Dawson recollects the man saying.

Responding like a baseliner to a drop shot, the family pounced.

“Our whole family started taking lessons on his court,” said Dawson.

There are athletes who are passionate about training and practice, but loathe competing, the tension causing their stomach and mind to ache, their throat to constrict.

Dawson, whose maiden name was Larking, doesn’t fit the description.

“I loved to compete,” she said, “but hated to practice.”

Sherri Stephens, Dawson’s coach at USD, confirms the assessment.

While lauding Dawson — “She was fast and she was smart, she hit a pretty flat ball. She was just a great player” — Stephens admits, “She practiced as little as possible.”

By Stephens’ memory, Dawson was playing a USC athlete one afternoon and trailing in the match. Dawson’s mother was sitting courtside, and during a changeover said to her daughter, “You win this match, I’ll buy you a car.”

“Any color I want?” Dawson responded.

“Yes,” her mother replied.

Dawson won the match.

“My mom would oftentimes bribe me,” Dawson said.

Regarding her casual approach to practice, Dawson explained, “I think it came easy to me, so I could not practice and still do well. That sounds bad. Obviously, if I would have practiced I would have done a lot better, so I was a little lazy.

“When I was in high school and competing in the juniors, I was so mellow. I won a lot, but even if I lost, it didn’t matter. Once I got to college my personality changed. I was way more competitive. For one, it was a team.

“Sometimes if you’re just playing for yourself (you say), ‘Oh well. I played a hard three-set match.’ I think you put a lot more pressure on yourself to win when you’re playing for the team.”

Dawson’s style would best be described as an aggressive baseliner.

“I would describe her as a consistent, powerful player, someone who consistently presses her opponent,” said her husband, Steve, who coaches his wife. “She seems to hit the ball hard enough that the other person can’t take control of the point.

“She’s never in a hurry to win. The other person just seems to be at the end of a yo-yo.”

As for his wife enjoying the game now more than ever, Steve feels that’s easily explained.

“When you’re a good junior player, you’re under pressure to do well to earn a scholarship,” he said. “When you’re in college, you’re under pressure to keep your scholarship.

“Then she played pro tennis, where every single match is for prize money. Now she has kids (boys 17 and 20) who are grown up and getting out of the house. Now’s the first time in her life tennis is for pure gratification.”